Experience Description:

In ceiling, working on top of a six feet ladder, with one hand on the wires, that where live (on the safe part) and the other hand on my pliers (also on the rubber). The voltage and amperage was high. The flexible metal conduit jumped to one finger like a magnet and the power arched over the pliers sending 277 volts about 13 amps through me. It wiped my head back and started to hear static running through me. I was trying to drop my tool or move my hand from the wipe, but they were glued into place. I was told I was screaming a death cry. I realized that there was no hope and no one was close to me to help.

My vision started to be swallowed by static; it was like seeing a TV station go off air. That's when I felt the push out. I was now in a dark tunnel looking down at me (like there was a spot of light behind me) and that was when I felt scared with fear and then I was looking at pictures of events and people of my life in order from birth to that day. When the last picture fell, I was looking down at myself standing there on the ladder with my arms out and my head pulled back, it was like I was floating over myself.

That's when I said goodbye and started to turn toward the light. After I said goodbye, I felt pure happiness. I never have felt that happiness since that time. Just about that time, I almost turned around. I was pushed very hard back down. I was now off the six feet ladder, standing with my arms out and my head back. And slowly my vision came back.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: August 1999

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was working in the ceiling, trying to troubleshoot some 277 volt circuit live (which was dumb) I used one hand but the amp jumped and locked me on.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal I felt like I had more knowledge.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Yes.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither Time stopped, because when I was looking down I wasn't moving.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more so

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Everything was high definition.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Not at it, it was behind me.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Sad, guilty.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? Neither

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Past flashed before me, out of my control It was like have 3 x 5 inch pictures drop down in front of me on a table. And they were not falling in a stack either.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither

Did you come to a border or point of no return? Neither

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist roman Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

What is your religion now? Moderate None

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Neither

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I had a feeling of everything making sense.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It took five years before I could even talk about it. Every time I tried to think about it I'd re-live it and I'd start crying.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain Twice now I've dreamed of people that I knew but not the kind of people that I'd ever keep in my head. I had a dream of them the same day they died and would learn later of their death.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I'm still working on that one.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes My wife I told her last month it was over seven years being married and I finally told her, with all details. Told some strangers, it was easier to tell people that weren't in the pictures falling from the sky.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I was a skeptic. My family own a pyramid house and it used to be open for tours. In my early twenties, I used to give lectures there. Often, I'd had to host groups of metaphysics. I heard and saw a lot of weird stuff but I never believed it. It scares me now because I'm one of the nuts now.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No